Best spot for a filmmaker

Is in the middle of it all, someplace like the Mission or thereabouts. Very urban in both the good and bad sense but most importantly centrally located so you can access theaters and other filmmaker resources. If you do move to the middle of town, save money and lose your car, you won't need it and it will only bring you grief. In the East Bay, Berkeley and Oakland also sustain some degree of filmmaking culture. In anycase be prepared to pay for not-quite-paradise and do it for the love, not the love of money, because there is a lot of talent and just not that many paying gigs. That said, Welcome, bring your creativity and tap into the energy here

You have a misconception

Emily ... By far the most common degrees in scientist & engineer jobs in hi-tech firms are BS & MS. Only a small percentage of the staff have a Ph.D. In business world, you just don't need that many people with PhD's (as a percentage of staff), just a few to give insight into the basic science & some to provide guidance on new product ideas & product performance specs; these hi-tech depts mainly focus their hiring efforts on science & engineering staff people to keep the project on schedule. They need smart well trained people who communicate & work well in a group atmosphere, & have a lot of energy & a lot of time to devote to their projects

Spin the bitch.

Sociology gives you great insight into the actions of groups and individuals. That make dealing with the public much easier, since you understand their motivations and social needs. With your sociology degree, you are just the person to mollify the unhappy client, you are exactly what your company needs to understand its market and customer base, yada yada yada.
Of course, I cannot effectively convey how my engineering degree with a concentration in alternative energy production has prepared me to work well in the solar industry.
Hindsight sure is 20/20, especially when it is someone else's ass you're looking at